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Loddon Hall
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The venue has room for 200 people and plenty of parking. "We just want to have fun and keep rock'n'roll going," say organisers Henry and Marie Frampton.
Three of the Remember This dates are on the same weekends as the 3Rs club in Burghfield, which has its gigs on Friday nights, but Henry and Marie say there's room for both clubs: "We spent a lot of time working out what Saturday nights to book, and it did not come to light about the 3Rs club untill after we booked and confirmed our dates. Also, they open on Fridays. We spent most of our time posting flyers all over, including Bedford, Surrey, Middlesex, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and many places we go to. We thought it would bring different jivers to our club. We also thought Saturdays would be good as every one else seems to have weeknights. We would not dream of upsetting any clubs as we use most of the local clubs, near and far."
Bands lined up for Remember This include Western Electric on April 28th, The Sundowners on June 16th, Jive Street on August 25th, Bernie Woods & The Forest Fires on September 8th and The Heartbeats on November 17th. Admission will be £9 or £10.
Warm welcome
Meanwhile across town, the 3Rs club has gigs on the third Friday of the month at Burghfield Community Sports Association. Bands for 2012 include The Kingcats, Downtown Daddyos, Rockin' The Joint and Greggi G & His Crazy Gang.
Promoter Debra Tompkins, who also runs jive outfit RockinRhythm, took over from DJ Peter Phillips at the start of the year, but says she is no stranger to the local scene.
She told Planet Jive: "I helped to build the r'n'r community
in Reading from 1990 as a dance teaching with Bill Heron. Sunday
was our most popular session, with lots of social dancing after the classes.
I also established the monthly Jive Junction club in Reading, with
Rob McKim and now run a growing number of jive and lindy hop classes.
"Peter and Evelyne made a great start to bringing previous supporters back to the club and so when Peter approached RockinRhythm about taking on the mantle of the 3Rs I was excited to carry this
forward. I will listen to customers and promote the club vigorously.
"The venue has a large wooden dance floor and really good social facilities. Add in great
bands, DJs playing for the dancers and a warm welcome for all fans of rock'n'roll
and you get the 3Rs."
Revival
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Peter Phillips
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"The club really turned round since we took it over
last August. At our October event we had 130 attending.
The dance floor was full all night and every seat was taken. We
are really pleased that in a few short months we have been able to revive
this great club and the 3Rs is once again a busy rock'n'roll night.
"Our format is simple. A good venue with large dance floor, ample parking,
provide a very good sound system, make the club look nice, greet with a
smile and book good bands that play the music our customers like."
The Eastbourne-based pro DJ says he had to give up the Reading club because of a prior agreement to run a Motown and soul night in Surrey on the third Friday of the month. He is continuing to run the Winning Post R'n'R Club in Whitton, West London.
Heyday
Reading R'n'R Club was started in 1991 by ten people who had nowhere to jive. They hired a church hall, took a record player along, enjoyed the evening and the 3Rs club was born. Five of the original organisers stuck with the club throughout. In its heyday, 3Rs had 200 members. It moved to its present venue, the Reading Civil Service Club in Burghfield in January 2004.The 3Rs also launched the annual Jive Jive Jive all-dayer in 1994. Following the death of club president Bill Cotterell in January 2005, Hemsby promoters Willie and Varick Jeffrey kept the event running for three years. DJ Kav Kavanagh took on Jive Jive Jive in 2008, admitting he was "taking a huge gamble", but the event failed to take place in 2009 because of building works at the Rivermead Leisure Complex.
If
it jumps, jives, bops or strolls we want to know about it.
or call 07833 703189.